How They Spend Their Time

A long time ago I worked at a corporate cafeteria. In addition to serving lunches to the folks that had an office in the building, we would also cater events; weddings, anniversaries and what not. On top of that, we would cater corporate lunches and “moral boosters.” You know, that lunch outside serving picnic food and a coke. Or, maybe it’s just a free ice cream sundae one afternoon. All good ideas.

As I worked these that one summer, I was struck by one thing. These high paid professional people would wait in line, in the sun, for a long long time to get a hot dog or a scoop of ice cream. I never have understood it. And now that I’m that professional worker in that office building and have the opportunity to wait 40 minutes in line for some chocolate ice cream, I smile and just keep on keepin’ on.

An angry crowd hurled missiles and tipped over a vehicle near the Eiffel Tower in Paris Saturday after a company promised a massive cash giveaway but then failed to deliver, police said.

Trouble flared among the crowd of around 7,000 people when they realised the Internet company Rentabiliweb were not going ahead with the publicity stunt to give away some 40,000 euros (60,000 dollars).

Much like the cube dwellers on the offices above, these people apparently value their time at about $2,50 an hour. See, I’m guessing that the whole ordeal took about two hours, and the most likely payout for these folks would be $5. Again, to be clear, these people would rather just blow hours of their time fo $5 than actually DO something. Now, to be fair, maybe I’m making too big a deal over nothing. Maybe the idea of spending time in a park in front of the Eiffel Tower is time well spent and heck, 5 free dollars with the chance to earn more seems like a bonus. I think it’s a sign of what happens when people have an entitlement attitude. When they are used to being take care of. When they forget that they have to earn what is theirs. My proof in this theory?

Police arrested around 10 people and nine were remanded in custody as anger erupted in the shadow of the Paris landmark.